Honoring Imprisoned Cultural Champion: Goethe Medal for Osman Kavala
- Spicy as hell! What's good, folks? Let's dive into the juicy details!*
Awarding German's Goethe Medal to Detained Turkish Arts Advocate - Recognition of Imprisoned Turkish Cultural Advocates with Goethe Medal
Detained Visionary, Osman Kavala, bagging the Goethe Medal
By The Hoffman Friendly Neighborhood News Network™
The world's a wild and wooly place these days, and democracy's under the cosh more than ever. But in the face of this new-age barbarity, we need folks with grit and guile, and Osman Kavala, currently languishing in a Turkish prison since 2017, is one such individual. Despite his incarceration, he's still managing to contribute significantly to the cause of peace and reconciliation across the region, as announced by the Goethe-Institute.*
The Goethe Medal of Germany is set to be bestowed upon Osman, along with Chinese sinologist Li Yuan and Belgian author David Van Reybrouck. The award ceremony will take place on August 28 in a rip-roaring event in Weimar.
Cultural mavericks recognized
"We're living in a time of heightened cruelty, where democratic values are finding it tough to keep their chins up," declares Gesche Joost, president of the Goethe-Institute, stationed in cool, urban Berlin. Thomas Oberender, the head of the award committee, calls the awardees "quiet revolutionaries," and for good reason.*
Osman Kavala co-founded Anadolu Kultur, an organization based in Istanbul back in 2002. The group's projects have a focus on human rights, arts, and culture. Alas, Osman's not a free man, having been behind bars since 2017. Last year, he was sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment in a trial that sparked international controversy. The court found him guilty of orchestrating a coup, linked to the Gezi protests, which began as a local ruckus against a construction project in Istanbul's city center and escalated into a nationwide revolt against the government.*
China, meet Li Yuan
Li Yuan, a Chinese sinologist, got the tick of approval from the selection committee due to her dedication to promoting German as a foreign language in China. Her work has significantly influenced and advanced the curriculum and teaching practice at Chinese schools and universities.*
David Van Reybrouck, on the other hand, is lauded for his work that offers perspectives often ignored by Western historiography. The Goethe-Institute singles out his books on South Africa, the Congo, or Indonesia. Using the method of oral history, David has shared the stories of people from old folks homes, far-off villages, and Nepal's jagged mountain ranges in his writing.*
Time-honored tradition
This marks the 70th year the Goethe Medal will be awarded, the first public ceremony to take place in Weimar. The date, August 28, is traditionally celebrated as the birthday of the legendary poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832). The chosen ones are selected by a commission stacked with movers and shakers of the cultural world, such as Matthias Lilienthal this year. Notable previous recipients include the conductor Daniel Barenboim and the British author Ian McEwan.*
Disclaimer: This article doesn't contain a list of previous Goethe Medal recipients' significant contributions, but it does provide a brief overview of each recipient.
That's all, folks! Stay tuned for more updates on this story as they roll in.
#News #Culture #GoetheMedal
- Despite being imprisoned in a Turkish prison since 2017, Osman Kavala, Founder of Anadolu Kultur, has been selected to receive the prestigious Goethe Medal, awarded for significant contributions to peace and reconciliation.
- Apart from Osman Kavala, the Goethe Medal will also be awarded to Chinese sinologist Li Yuan and Belgian author David Van Reybrouck this year.
- Li Yuan is recognized for her dedication to promoting German as a foreign language in China, greatly impacting the language curriculum at Chinese schools and universities.
- In contrast, David Van Reybrouck is known for his writings that provide perspectives often overlooked by Western historiography, using oral history to share diverse stories from around the world.
